pickier; pickiest
: very careful or too careful about choosing or accepting things : fussy, choosy
a picky eater
Because pen collectors are a picky lot, and some antiques dealers who are not in the pen business can overlook the details of condition, there is occasional friction.—
Bill Holland
Bill HollandWith rising ticket prices and new competition from cable TV, cost-conscious families may be pickier about the movies they choose to see.—David Ansen and Martin Kasindorf
David Ansen and Martin Kasindorf
pickiness
noun
Taylor mocks Zavala for the size of his extended Mexican family, their endless chatter and the frequency of their quinceaneras. Zavala ribs Taylor for his white-person pickiness about artisanal coffee and marriage.
—Belinda Luscombe
Belinda Luscombe
Now jobless and forced to live with five housemates in San Jose, Calif., she comes away from every job interview discouraged by employers' pickiness.
—Daniel McGinn
Daniel McGinn
Synonyms of picky
Examples of picky in a Sentence
a picky cat who would only eat one particular kind of food, and only if it was served in his special dish
she's picky, but she always finds the best quality in fresh meat and fish
Recent Examples on the Web
These irresistible, creamy purée treats are perfect for picky eaters, bonding moments and sneaking in hydration—cats can’t get enough of them.
—Kasey Caminiti, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
The treat is designed in such a way as to hide the look, texture and smell of the pill so picky dogs don’t avoid taking it.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026
According to Veit, American kids weren’t picky until the early 20th century.
—Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 17 Feb. 2026
My mother, a picky eater, cleaned her plate of every course, and even ate oysters and mushrooms for the first time in my life!
—Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for picky
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Kasey Caminiti, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
The treat is designed in such a way as to hide the look, texture and smell of the pill so picky dogs don’t avoid taking it.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026
According to Veit, American kids weren’t picky until the early 20th century.
—Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 17 Feb. 2026
My mother, a picky eater, cleaned her plate of every course, and even ate oysters and mushrooms for the first time in my life!
—Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for picky
Cite this Entry
“Picky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/picky. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
